Healthcare science, including the Scientist Training Programme (STP)

Most graduate healthcare scientists in the UK are trained by and then work for the NHS. A range of positions is available within the NHS for STEM graduates, from biological science to physics and engineering. The NHS scheme for graduate-level recruitment into scientific roles is called the Scientist Training Programme (STP). England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland manage their own STP recruitment each year. There are also technician and 'practitioner' roles, e.g. anatomical pathology technician.

Healthcare scientists also work in private hospitals as well as in industry and research, for example:

  • pharmaceutical companies in pre-clinical studies and clinical trials (also in contract research organisations or CROs to whom pharmaceutical companies 'outsource' these activities)
  • medical device companies working on the development testing of devices to ensure their efficacy and safety
  • diagnostic companies that develop and manufacture tests used in clinical labs, but who may also provide testing services
  • academic clinical research and teaching in universities

Many healthcare roles are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council or other professional bodies (for roles outside of the NHS, employers are typically more flexible about HCPC registration). If you trained or qualified outside of the UK, you may need to undergo registration or have your qualification assessed before you can practice here. For healthcare science, there are different routes depending on your experience.

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Many Manchester students are interested in working in the NHS, and healthcare scientists in the NHS are split into two main groups: Clinical Scientists and Biomedical Scientists.

Clinical Scientists

Clinical Scientists work in healthcare settings to apply scientific knowledge and techniques to improve patient outcomes. In the NHS, they will interact with other clinical staff and sometimes patients. There are over 30 specialisms across 4 areas: life sciences, physical sciences and engineering, physiological sciences and clinical bioinformatics.

In the NHS, they are typically are recruited via the Scientist Training Programme, a three-year, fixed-term, integrated training programme of workplace-based learning including a master's degree in the relevant specialism.

For the STP, applicants must have an honours degree (1st or 2:1) in a pure or applied science discipline relevant to the specialism for which they are applying. Applicants with a relevant 2:2 degree will also be considered if they have an MSc or PhD in the specialism for which they are applying. An MSc or a PhD in a relevant subject area will be advantageous when applying for trainee positions, but is not essential.

Trainees are employed by a single NHS trust. In the first year of training, they undertake four rotations in related departments, followed by 18 months of specialist training. Some of the rotations could be with other NHS trusts, so trainees must be prepared to travel to work. After this period of training, successful trainees will be in a position to apply for NHS posts as healthcare scientists and to the appropriate professional register.

It is possible to become a Clinical Scientist outside of the STP through the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) equivalence assessment or the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) Route 2. This involves building a portfolio of experience through work to meet the required competencies for registration, including supervised clinical practice experience in a hospital environment (gained during employment).

Biomedical Scientists

Biomedical Scientists work primarily in laboratory settings, screening samples and monitoring test results, typically in either infection sciences, blood sciences, cell sciences or genetics and molecular pathology.

Biomedical Scientists are the largest group of healthcare scientists in the NHS and are recruited by trusts on an individual basis. Graduates typically start as trainee Biomedical Scientists whilst they complete workplace training in order to gain full HCPC registration.

Graduate entry for Biomedical Science usually requires the applicant to hold a degree that is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). The BSc Biomedical Science degree programme at The University of Manchester is not accredited by IBMS. This means you would need to have your degree assessed by the IBMS (for a fee) and often need to undertake further study to 'top-up' your degree to back-fill any missing elements (at a university with an accredited undergraduate programme). The IBMS website lists universities where you can 'top up'. However, the good news is that with your biomedical science degree, you could apply for a place on the STP or graduate roles outside the NHS!

Use the job profiles below to find out about skills, entry routes and experience

Building skills and experience

Use the job profiles above to check which skills are normally needed for the roles you are interested in.

Use our transferable skills pages to explore ways to gain the top skills employers are looking for

  • Visit a clinical lab or speak to a trainee to get insight into the roles that interest you. Some NHS departments have STP open days around the recruitment window, and these are advertised by the National School of Healthcare Science. Reach out to Manchester alumni who are on the STP (e.g. via LinkedIn).
  • Laboratory work experience and involvement with research projects and publications will improve your chances. Look for ways to link your module options and course projects to clinical science.
  • Seek out opportunities to gain laboratory experience outside of university labs, e.g. summer studentships or apply for an industrial placement (some NHS trusts offer industrial placements).
  • Approach hospital laboratories speculatively to ask for work experience, particularly high-volume labs like haematology and biochemistry. Use the NHS jobs site to find the names of lab managers to contact by browsing current vacancies.
  • For patient-facing roles, look for opportunities to interact with the sort of people you will be supporting, e.g. for audiological science, volunteering with young children and older adults, as well as people with hearing loss. Find out more about volunteering opportunities.
  • Relevant work experience, particularly within a clinical or NHS setting, is particularly important: the NHS uses values-based recruitment, so any NHS experience, including volunteering, will help when making your application and at interview.
  • See the Science work experience page for more suggestions and resources.

Finding and applying for jobs

Applications for the STP are made within a short, two-week period. The dates changes from year to year but it is usually opens in January/February (in 2025, applications opened at 11am on Thursday 23 January and closed at 4pm on Thursday 6 February 2025). Don’t expect a lot of warning between the dates being published and the application period opening!

The National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) is a useful information source for all STP applicants in the UK. It lists the vacancies for England, the biggest recruiter of STP trainees, and has detailed information about the process. (NB. after recruitment has completed for that year, information may be removed from the website). For vacancies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland see the websites listed below.

The STP is extremely competitive, and some graduates applied in several years before they got onto the programme. It makes sense to have a back-up plan in case your application is unsuccessful. Consider speaking to a Careers Consultant to explore your other options.

Biomedical Science jobs are generally advertised throughout the year by NHS individual trusts, though Northern Ireland has an annual recruitment each Spring. For trainee posts, applicants typically need have an IBMS accredited degree.

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Further resources

Next steps

When planning your next steps, you may have additional questions or want to explore certain aspects in more detail: